Centrifugal with cover and brake assembly



Jan. 31, 1967 F. OCONOR CENTRIFUGAL WITH COVER AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1964 FIG.]

INVENTOR F R AN K O'C ON OR F. OCONOR 3,300,871

CENTRIFUGAL WITH COVER AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY Jan. 31, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

lNVENTOR FRANK O'CONOR A ORNEY United States Patent 3,300,871 CENTRIFUGAL WITH COVER AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY Frank OConor, Moline, llL, assignor to Ametek, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 415,369 6 Claims. (Cl. 3458) This invention relates to centrifugal dryers and particularly to an improved combined brake and cover interlock for such dryers.

Centrifugal dryers include a housing within which a basket is mounted for rapid rotation to effect the drying of articles contained within the basket. Such apparatus requires opening and closing a cover plate to load and unload the basket. It is essential from a safety point as well as for other reasons to have the rotation of the basket stopped before the cover can be opened and to ensure the cover is closed before basket rotation is started or recommenced.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a centrifugal dryer including a purely mechanical arrangement for braking the basket to a stop before the cover to the apparatus can be opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a centrifugal dryer including a mechanical arrangement that will ensure closing of the cover before the brake can be released.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a dryer in which both functions are performed by the same mechanical linkage.

In one aspect of the invention, a centrifugal dryer may comprise a vertical housing including an elevated horizontal floor, at the center of which a bearing is mounted for journaling a vertical shaft. The upper end of the shaft may have a vertically disposed basket attached to it. The basket may have perforated walls and bottom, and the top may be open to receive articles to be dried.

In another aspect of the invention, the lower end of the shaft may have a pulley fixed to it which rotates in a horizontal plane. One face of the pulley may be plain so as to act as a braking surface. The pulley may be belted or otherwise drivingly connected to a power source. A subfioor within the housing, beneath the elevated floor supporting the hearing, may include spaced, depending, aligned bearing members for journaling a horizontal shaft near one side of the housing. Arms may be pivotally mounted on said shaft, and a brake shoe may be pivoted to the free ends of the arms in position slightly above the brake surface on the pulley. The arms are connected to a foot treadle extending to, and beyond the side of the housing opposite that adjacent the brake shoe mounting. Resilient means may be provided to maintain the brake shoe spaced from the brake surface on the pulley.

In another aspect of the invention, the top of the housing may be closed by a pivotally mounted cover within which heating coils may be located. The basket may include fan blades which, when the basket is rotating at a high speed, draw outside air over the heating coils, thence directing it downwardly into the basket, thence outwardly by centrifugal force, and finally exhausting the heated moisture-laden air.

In still another aspect of the invention, a linkage may be connected to the pivot of the cover and it may be wardly to the pivot point of the cover. A cam arrangement may be provided at this location including an elongated slot terminating in a circular recess.

In another aspect of the invention, a cam follower may be connected to the pivot of the corner and it may be such as slidingly to fit the slot of the cam and have curved ends formed on a diameter equal to the circular terminus of the cam slot.

a Patented Jan. 31, 1967 With the brake released and the cover closed, the cam follower will be in the elongated slot of the cam, preventing pivoting of the cover. Applying a downward force on the foot treadle moves the cam to a point where the circular terminus registers with the cam, thereby permitting turning of the pivot and opening of the cover.

The above, other objects and novel features of the improved centrifugal dryer and combined brake and cover interlock will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional elevational view of a centrifugal dryer to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in section, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail of the cam follower; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the cam arrangement permitting opening of the cover.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a centrifugal dryer including a vertically disposed housing having an open top surrounded by a flange 11. Housing 10 includes an elevated floor member 12 that supports at its center a heavy-duty bearing 13 in which a vertical shaft 14 is journaled.

A basket carrier 15 having an circular base 16 includes a hub 17 at its center that fits onto, and is fixed to the upper end of shaft 14. The basket carrier 15 may comprise a plurality of spaced blades 19 that are attached at points spaced about the periphery of base 16. A ring 18 may surround the upper ends of blades 19, to which the latter are fixed by welding or otherwise. The blades 19 extend downwardly below base 16 for a purpose to be described later.

A removable article-holding basket 20 may be located within carrier 15 and it may include perforated side walls 21. A flange or rim 22 may be located at the top of the basket 20 extending to a point adjacent the top of flange 11 for a purpose to be described.

A cover 23 may be pivoted to the housing 10 by a pivot pin 24. The cover 23 may include a perforated top 25 and heating coils 26. The arrangement is such that with the cover 23 closed, and basket carrier 15 rotating rapidly, the centrifugal action of carrier 15 and the effect of fan blades 19 draw atmospheric air through cover 23 over heating coils 26 downwardly through the parts in basket 20 to be dried, thence radially outwardly through Wall 21, thence radially through the spaces between blades 19, and finally exhausted out a port in housing 10 slightly above floor 12. The lower ends of blades 19 act to force the moistened air through the exit port.

Referring to FIG. 2, in order to rotate basket carrier 15, the lower end of shaft 14 has a pulley 27 fixed to it that is drivingly connected to a power source (not shown) by a belt 28. The pulley 27 includes a plane, disk-like face 29 against which a friction brake 30 is adapted to act. A subfloor 31 beneath floor 12 has spaced bearings 32 connected thereto and depending therefrom. A shaft 33 is journaled in bearings 32 and pivotally supports spaced arms 34 and 35. At the free ends of arms 34, 35, a brake shoe 36 is mounted on a pivot shaft 37. The arms 34, 35 are also connected by fiat springs 38 to a foot treadle 39 extending to and beyond the opposite side of housing 10. An adjustable stop on housing 10 beneath foot treadle 39 limits the downward movement of treadle 39. A spring 39', having one of its ends connected to treadle 39 and its other end to housing 10,

normally urges brake shoe 36 to an upper ineffective position.

The flat springs 38 serve as levers to multiply the force applied by the operator at the brake treadle 39. By so doing, an increased force is applied to the brake shoe 36 to secure proper braking action. The fiat springs 38 are purposely used as levers to prevent overloading of the brake shoe and bearings. The stop 40 by limiting travel of the treadle 39 and springs 38 provides correct loading of the brake shoe 36.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the treadle 39 is connected to a linkage 41 including a bar 42 that extends upwardly from treadle 39 and adjacent to pivot pin 24 for cover 23. The upper end of bar 42 has a cam 43 fixed to it.

Cam 43 includes an elongated cam slot 44 terminating at its upper end in a circular opening 45. The pivot pin 24 has fixed to it a cam follower 46 of elongated form that slidingly fits the slot 44, and arcuate ends 47, 48 formed on a diameter that is slidingly received within circular opening 45.

The follower 46 may be integral with a disk 49 (FIG. 3) of greater diameter than the longitudinal length of follower 46. A washer 50 of substantially the same outside diameter as disk 49 may be located on the side of follower 46 opposite that with which disk 49 is integral. Accordingly, cam 43 is mounted between washer 50 and disk 49 to maintain it in proper assembled relation.

With the brake shoe 36 released from pulley 27, cover 23 must be closed, causing slot 44 in cam 43 to receive follower 46 so that cover 23 cannot be opened. In this condition, the basket carrier 15 can be rotated at its proper speed to effect drying of the articles within basket 20 as previously described.

Upon tie-energizing the power source that rotates pulley 27, the application of sufiicient force on the foot treadle 39 acts through leaf springs 38 to apply brake shoe 36 to pulley 27, stopping the same. As this is done, rod 42 is caused to move downwardly so that the cam 46 becomes located in the circular portion 45 of cam 43. Accordingly, cover 23 can be opened. manually by grasping handle 51. Although the various features of the improved centrifukal dryer and combined brake and cover interlock have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such details and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugal dryer comprising in combination, a housing having an open upper end; a basket carrier mounted in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis; a cover for closing the open upper end of said housing; a pivot pin mounted on said housing to which said cover is pivoted; a pulley connected to said basket carrier; a brake adapted to be applied to said pulley to stop the rotation of said basket carrier; a foot treadle connected to said brake for applying it to said pulley; linkage extending from said foot treadle to said pivot pin for said cover; and means between said linkage and said pivot pin for preventing the opening of said cover when said brake is released and for releasing said cover upon applying sufficient force to said foot treadle to cause said brake to stop said basket carrier.

2. A centrifugal dryer comprising in combination, a housing having an open upper end; a basket carrier mounted in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis; a cover for closing the open upper end of said housing; a ivot pin mounted on said housing to which said cover is pivoted; a pulley connected to said basket carrier; a brake adapted to be applied to said pulley to stop the rotation of said basket carrier; a foot treadle connected to said brake for applying it to said pulley; linkage extending from said foot treadle to said pivot pin and including a cam adjacent said pivot pin; a cam follower on said pivot pin in cooperating position with said cam, the cam and cam follower being constructed to prevent the opening of said cover when said brake is. re-

leased and for releasing said cover upon applying sufficient force to said foot treadle to cause said brake to stop said basket carrier.

3. A centrifugal dryer comprising in combination, a housing having an open upper end; a basket carrier mounted insaidhousing for rotation about a vertical axis; a cover for closing the open upper end of said housing; a .pivot pin mounted on said housing to which said cover is pivoted; a pulley connected to said basket carrier; a brake adapted 'to be'applied to said pulley to stop the rotation of said basket carrier; 21 foot treadle connected to said brake for applying it to said pulley; linkage extending from said foot treadle to said pivot pin and including a cam adjacent said pivot pin, said cam including an elongated slot terminating in a circular portion; and a cam follower on said pivot pin having an elongated portion adapted slidingly to fit the elongated slot in said cam, said cam follower also having arcuate ends formed on a diameter that is rotatively received within the circular portion of said earn, the construction and arrangement of the .parts being such that the opening of said cover is prevented when said brake'is released and the cover is released for opening upon applying sufficient force to said foot treadle to cause said brake .to stop said basket carrier.

4. A centrifugal dryer comprising in combination, a housing having an open upper end; a basket carrier mounted in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis; a cover for closing the open upper end of said housing; a pivot pin mounted on said housing to which said cover is pivoted; a pulley connected to said basket carrier; a brake adapted to be applied to said pulley to stop the rotation of said basket carrier; leaf spring means connected to said brake; a foot treadle connected to said leaf spring for applying said brake to said pulley; linkage extending from said foot treadle to said pivot pin for said cover; and means between said linkage and said pivot pin for preventing the opening of said cover when said brakeis released and for releasing said cover upon applying sufficient force to said foot treadle to cause said brake to stop said basket carrier.

5. A centrifugal dryer comprising in combination, a housing having an open upper end; a basket carrier mounted in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis; a cover for closing the open upper end of said housing; a pivot pin mounted on said housing to which said cover is pivoted; a pulley connected to said basket carrier; a brake adapted to be applied'to said pulley to stop the rotation of said basket carrier; leaf spring means con: nected to said brake; a foot treadle connected to said leaf spring for applying said brake to said pulley; linkage; extending from said foot treadle to said pivot pin and including a cam adjacent said pivot pin; a cam follower on said pivot pin in cooperating position with said cam; the cam and cam follower being constructed to preventthe opening of said cover when said brake is released'and' for releasing said cover upon applying sufiicient force to said foot treadle to cause said brake to stop said basket carrier.v

6. A centrifugal dryer comprising in combination, a housing having an open upper end; a basket carrier mounted in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis; a cover for closing the open upper end of said housing; a pivot pin mounted on said housing to which said cover is pivoted; a pulley connected to said basket carrier; a brake adapted to be applied to said pulley to stop the rotation of said basket carrier; leaf spring means connected to said brake; a foot treadle connected to said leaf spring for applying said brake to said pulley; linkage .extending from said foot treadle to said pivot pin and including a cam adjacent said pivot pin, said cam including an elongated slot terminating in a circular portion; and a cam follower onsaid pivot pin having an elongated .portion adapted slidingly to fit the elongated slot in said cam,

5 6 said cam follower also having arcuate ends formed on 3. References Cited by the Examiner dian eter that is rotatively received within the circular FOREIGN PATENTS portion of said cam, the construction and arrangement of the parts being such that the opening of said cover is 5741551 4/1959 Canadaprevented when said brake is released and the cover is 5 released for opening upon applying suflicient force to said foot treadle to cause said brake to stop said basket carrier. JOHN J. CAMBY, Examiner.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, 111., Primary Examiner. 

1. A CENTRIFUGAL DRYER COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING HAVING AN OPEN UPPER END; A BASKET CARRIER MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS; A COVER FOR CLOSING THE OPEN UPPER END OF SAID HOUSING; A PIVOT PIN MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING TO WHICH SAID COVER IS PIVOTED; A PULLEY CONNECTED TO SAID BASKET CARRIER; A BRAKE ADAPTED TO BE APPLIED TO SAID PULLEY TO STOP THE ROTATION OF SAID BASKET CARRIER; A FOOT TREADLE CONNECTED TO SAID BRAKE FOR APPLYING IT TO SAID PULLEY; LINKAGE EXTENDING FROM SAID FOOT TREADLE TO SAID PIVOT PIN FOR SAID 